three dialogues-第25章

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indeed　where　to　fix　it；　I　do　not　distinctly　know。

　　　　　。　What　would　you　have？　Do　I　not　acknowledge　a　twofold
state　of　things　　the　one　ectypal　or　natural；　the　other
archetypal　and　eternal？　The　former　was　created　in　time；　the
latter　existed　from　everlasting　in　the　mind　of　God。　Is　not　this
agreeable　to　the　common　notions　of　divines？　or；　is　any　more　than
this　necessary　in　order　to　conceive　the　creation？　But　you　suspect
some　peculiar　repugnancy；　though　you　know　not　where　it　lies。　To
take　away　all　possibility　of　scruple　in　the　case；　do　but　consider
this　one　point。　Either　you　are　not　able　to　conceive　｛255｝　the
Creation　on　any　hypothesis　whatsoever；　and；　if　so；　there　is　no
ground　for　dislike　or　complaint　against　any　particular　opinion　on
that　score：　or　you　are　able　to　conceive　it；　and；　if　so；　why　not
on　my　Principles；　since　thereby　nothing　conceivable　is　taken
away？　You　have　all　along　been　allowed　the　full　scope　of　sense；
imagination；　and　reason。　Whatever；　therefore；　you　could　before
apprehend；　either　immediately　or　mediately　by　your　senses；　or　by
ratiocination　from　your　senses；　whatever　you　could　perceive；
imagine；　or　understand；　remains　still　with　you。　If；　therefore；
the　notion　you　have　of　the　creation　by　other　Principles　be
intelligible；　you　have　it　still　upon　mine；　if　it　be　not
intelligible；　I　conceive　it　to　be　no　notion　at　all；　and　so　there
is　no　loss　of　it。　And　indeed　it　seems　to　me　very　plain　that　the
supposition　of　Matter；　that　is　a　thing　perfectly　unknown　and
inconceivable；　cannot　serve　to　make　us　conceive　anything。　And；　I
hope　it　need　not　be　proved　to　you　that　if　the　existence　of　Matter
doth　not　make　the　creation　conceivable；　the　creation's　being
without　it　inconceivable　can　be　no　objection　against　its　non…
existence。

　　　　　。　I　confess；　Philonous；　you　have　almost　satisfied　me　in
this　point　of　the　creation。

　　　　　。　I　would　fain　know　why　you　are　not　quite　satisfied。
You　tell　me　indeed　of　a　repugnancy　between　the　Mosaic　history　and
Immaterialism：　but　you　know　not　where　it　lies。　Is　this
reasonable；　Hylas？　Can　you　expect　I　should　solve　a　difficulty
without　knowing　what　it　is？　But；　to　pass　by　all　that；　would　not　a
man　think　you　were　assured　there　is　no　repugnancy　between　the
received　notions　of　Materialists　and　the　inspired　writings？

　　　　　。　And　so　I　am。

　　　　　。　Ought　the　historical　part　of　Scripture　to　be
understood　in　a　plain　obvious　sense；　or　in　a　sense　which　is
metaphysical　and　out　of　the　way？

　　　　　。　In　the　plain　sense；　doubtless。

　　　　　。　When　Moses　speaks　of　herbs；　earth；　water；　&c。　as
having　been　created　by　God；　think　you　not　the　sensible　things
commonly　signified　by　those　words　are　suggested　to　every
unphilosophical　reader？

　　　　　。　I　cannot　help　thinking　so。

　　　　　。　And　are　not　all　ideas；　or　things　perceived　by　sense；
to　be　denied　a　real　existence　by　the　doctrine　of　the　Materialist？

　　　　　。　This　I　have　already　acknowledged。

　　　　　。　The　creation；　therefore；　according　to　them；　was　not
｛256｝　the　creation　of　things　sensible；　which　have　only　a　relative
being；　but　of　certain　unknown　natures；　which　have　an　absolute
being；　wherein　creation　might　terminate？

　　　　　。　True。

　　　　　。　Is　it　not　therefore　evident　the　assertors　of　Matter
destroy　the　plain　obvious　sense　of　Moses；　with　which　their
notions　are　utterly　inconsistent；　and　instead　of　it　obtrude　on　us
I　know　not　what；　something　equally　unintelligible　to　themselves
and　me？

　　　　　。　I　cannot　contradict　you。

　　　　　。　Moses　tells　us　of　a　creation。　A　creation　of　what？　of
unknown　quiddities；　of　occasions；　or　？　No；　certainly；
but　of　things　obvious　to　the　senses。　You　must　first　reconcile
this　with　your　notions；　if　you　expect　I　should　be　reconciled　to
them。

　　　　　。　I　see　you　can　assault　me　with　my　own　weapons。

　　　　　。　Then　as　to　；　was　there　ever
known　a　more　jejune　notion　than　that？　Something　it　is　so
abstracted　and　unintelligible　that　you　have　frankly　owned　you
could　not　conceive　it；　much　less　explain　anything　by　it。　But
allowing　Matter　to　exist；　and　the　notion　of　absolute　existence　to
be　clear　as　light；　yet；　was　this　ever　known　to　make　the　creation
more　credible？　Nay；　hath　it　not　furnished　the　atheists　and
infidels　of　all　ages　with　the　most　plausible　arguments　against　a
creation？　That　a　corporeal　substance；　which　hath　an　absolute
existence　without　the　minds　of　spirits；　should　be　produced　out　of
nothing；　by　the　mere　will　of　a　Spirit；　hath　been　looked　upon　as　a
thing　so　contrary　to　all　reason；　so　impossible　and　absurd！　that
not　only　the　most　celebrated　among　the　ancients；　but　even　divers
modern　and　Christian　philosophers　have　thought　Matter　co…eternal
with　the　Deity。　Lay　these　things　together；　and　then　judge　you
whether　Materialism　disposes　men　to　believe　the　creation　of
things。

　　　　　。　I　own；　Philonous；　I　think　it　does　not。　This　of　the
　is　the　last　objection　I　can　think　of；　and　I　must　needs
own　it　hath　been　sufficiently　answered　as　well　as　the　rest。
Nothing　now　remains　to　be　overcome　but　a　sort　of　unaccountable
backwardness　that　I　find　in　myself　towards　your　notions。

　　　　　。　When　a　man　is　swayed；　he　knows　not　why；　to　one　side
of'　the　question；　can　this；　think　you；　be　anything　else　but　the
effect　of　prejudice；　which　never　fails　to　attend　old　and　rooted
｛257｝　notions？　And　indeed　in　this　respect　I　cannot　deny　the
belief　of　Matter　to　have　very　much　the　advantage　over　the
contrary　opinion；　with　men　of　a　learned；　education。

　　　　　。　I　confess　it　seems　to　be　as　you　say。

　　　　　。　As　a　balance；　therefore；　to　this　weight　of
prejudice；　let　us　throw　into　the　scale　the　great　advantages　that
arise　from　the　belief　of　Immaterialism；　both　in　regard　to
religion　and　human　learning。　The　being　of　a　God；　and
incorruptibility　of　the　soul；　those　great　articles　of　religion；
are　they　not　proved　with　the　clearest　and　most　immediate
evidence？　When　I　say　the　being　of　a　God；　I　do　not　mean　an　obscure
general　Cause　of　things；　whereof　we　have　no　conception；　but　God；
in　the　strict　and　proper　sense　of　the　word。　A　Being　whose
spirituality；　omnipresence；　providence；　omniscience；　infinite
power　and　goodness；　are　as　conspicuous　as　the　existence　of
sensible　things；　of　which　（notwithstanding　the　fallacious
pretences　and　affected　scruples　of　Sceptics）　there　is　no　more
reason　to　doubt　than　of　our　own　being。　　Then；　with　relation　to
human　sciences。　In　Natural　Philosophy；　what　intricacies；　what
obscurities；　what　contradictions　hath　the　belief　of　Matter　led
men　into！　To　say　nothing　of　the　numberless　disputes　about　its
extent；　continuity；　homogeneity；　gravity；　divisibility；　&c。　　do
they　not　pretend　to　explain　all　things　by　bodies　operating　on
bodies；　according　to　the　laws　of　motion？　and　yet；　are　they　able
to　comprehend　how　one　body　should　move　another？　Nay；　admitting
there　was　no　difficulty　in　reconciling　the　notion　of　an　inert
being　with　a　cause；　or　in　conceiving　how　an　accident　might　pass
from　one　body　to　another；　yet；　by　all　their　strained　thoughts　and
extravagant　suppositions；　have　they　been　able　to　reach　the
　production　of　any　one　animal　or　vegetable　body？　Can
they　account；　by　the　laws　of　motion；　for　sounds；　tastes；　smells；
or　colours；　or　for　the　regular　course　of　things？　Have　they
accounted；　by　physical　principles；　for　the　aptitude　and
contrivance　even　of　the　most　inconsiderable　parts　of　the
universe？　But；　laying　aside　Matter　and　corporeal；　causes；　and
admitting　only　the　efficiency　of　an　All…perfect　Mind；　are　not　all
the　effects　of　nature　easy　and　intelligible？　If　the　
are　nothing　else　but　；　God　is　a　；　but　Matter　an
unintelligent；　unperceiving　being。　If　they　demonstrate　an
unlimited　power　in　their　cause；　God　is　active　and　omnipotent；　but
Matter　an　inert　mass。　If　the　order；　regularity；　and　usefulness　of
them　can　｛258｝　never　be　sufficiently　admired；　God　is　infinitely
wise　and　provident；　but　Matter　destitute　of　all　contrivance　and
design。　These　surely　are　great　advantages　in　。　Not　to
mention　that　the　apprehension　of　a　distant　Deity　naturally
disposes　men　to　a　negligence　in　their　moral　a